Assassin's Apprentice
by imaninja41
Summary: So Connor meets this stubborn kid in the forest who just so happens to be a better archer than him. On one hand, he doesn't want to get this girl killed on some crazy assassin mission. On the other hand, he could put those skills to good use. But if Terry ever finds out that Connor put his teenage daughter in danger, Connor might end up with a broken nose. Rated T for violence.
1. Who is she?

**This takes place a year or so before Connor and Haytham's first team up. Basically, several moments in Terry and Diana's teenage daughter's life. I actually have no idea where this is going to go, other than the fact she kind of becomes Connor's side kick on several of his missions.**

The first time Connor heard of her, was from her mother, Diana. He had just dropped by Terry and Diana's home, because he knew that Terry and Godfrey were going to be gone for several days logging a bit farther than usual. They had even borrowed two horses from Achilles, something they had never had to do before. Connor suspected it was because winter was just around the corner, and they wanted to make sure they had enough to last. So Connor just wanted to check on their families, make sure that they would be fine, see if they needed anything.

He had greeted the young boys as they played near the house with small wave, and proceeded to gently knock on the front door, then slowly open to see Diana, bustling over a pot. "Yes? Oh, Connor. Did ya need somethin?"

He shook his head, "I simply wanted to see if your in need of anything, with your husband being gone."

She laughed, "No, Ah'm quite fine."

"Terry has left you with plenty of food?" Connor assumed.

She shook her head, "Actually no, just enough fer dinner tonight. That's why Ah made sure to tell Ranulf to grab somethin fer breakfast."

He paused then, trying to remember ever hearing of Ranulf before. "Ranulf?"

Diana nodded, "Yes, Ranulf. She'll probably bring back something small, so she has an excuse to hunt again for dinner and supper tomorrow." **(A/N: I don't know if it was back then, but I do know during the Old West times, in certain areas, they called lunch dinner, and dinner supper. So I'm just assuming that they did in colonial times too.)**

"Diana, who is Ranulf?"

She stopped what she was doing completely then, "What? Terry never told ya- aye, that's classic Terry. Probably just figured ya'd meet her out in the woods somewhere, the daft oaf."

She put the lid on the pot, and a smile work onto her face, a type of smile he had only seen on her when she talked about her husband, or her sons. "Ranulf is me and Terry's daughter. Ya really never met her?"

Terry and Diana had a daughter? That was new. "No, I have not. Why haven't I ever seen her around with you or your husband?"

Dian let out a little laugh, "Cause she hardly ever is. She gets up before anyone, even me. Goes out into the woods all day, doin Lord knows what. She comes back when all of us are near asleep. If we ask her, she'll bring back game, skinned and everything. Accept during the winter, she'll only go out there around the afternoon, and only to get some deer, or rabbit for us all. Ah recon if ya peek around here when there's snow out, ya're bound to run into her around the cabin."

Connor raised an eyebrow, "You let your young daughter roam the woods all day?"

Diana sighed, "Ah didn't like it at first either, but Ah can handle the house on my own, so Ah can't complain about her not being around to help. And when Ah do need help, if Ah get sick, or the boys become to much for me, she steps in immediately. When we lived in New York Ah had the fever every few months. She stayed right by my bedside, made sure Ah never went hungry, or thirsty, kept the boys in line, and made sure we had enough to eat when her father was logging. Never complained."

"So, she's been sneaking off for quite some time now?" Connor couldn't help but wonder why he never ran into her in the woods.

"Since she was nine. Her father got it into his head, since she was our only child back then, that despite being a girl, she needed to learn to hunt and take care of herself." Diana shrugged, "He tried to teach her to fire a gun, but she was so small, she couldn't hold one. Switched to a bow and arrow, and she took to it like a fish to water." Diana smirked, "And now, her aim is even better than his. Ha, ya should have seen the look on his face when he realized his own daughters shot better than him."

He actually wanted to see that.

"But, as she got older, she just started wandering off all the time. Scared me to death every time she did it, at first. But eventually Ah just got used to it. She'd be gone for a few hours, and come back with something new she had found. Like when she first found out you could skip a stone, or the first rabbit she saw. She got to preoccupied with them, she spent months trying to catch one, and bring it home."

Connor couldn't help his curiosity. "Did she?"

Diana laughed at some old memory, "Yes, actually. After two years of trying. She came home one day with dirt all over her face, her hands all cut up, and bruises head to toe. But the biggest grin on her face, and a brown bunny in her hands."

He was tempted to laugh at the mental image. "I can tell your daughter is a… free spirit."

Diana snorted, "That's putting it lightly. She's her father's girl, got his temper that's for sure. But Ah worry for her. She's going to be sixteen this winter, and she's never had any friends her own age. Most of her friends are elderly women and men who like her because of her respectful nature. And she's never had any interest in a boy either."

"At fifteen, perhaps that is a good thing." Connor observed. He new Godfrey had a daughter, and he went red every time he saw his daughter talking to any boys. He didn't really understand why. Maybe because he wasn't a father?

Diana let out another small laugh, "Ah guess your right, Ah'd hate to see her father break some poor boy's nose. Maybe there is something you can do fer me Connor. If ya see Ranulf today, tell her if she could find some mushrooms, bring them home."

Connor nodded, "Very well."

He left, nodded goodbye to the boys, and immediately went searching for Ranulf. He needed to find out why he had never seen her around the woods before. Maybe his skills were just growing dull. No. Probably not.

It takes him all afternoon to finally find a sign that she might have been there. The remains of a rabbit and a squirrel, tossed aside. He couldn't tell how they'd been killed, but he guessed with an arrow.

It takes him another few minutes to see a freshly broken branch, she had climbed a tree. But there were no signs she had climbed down… where was she?

"Looking fer someone?"

Connor whirled around, and saw a teenage girl sitting on a branch across the clearing. He could tell immediately that she must be Ranulf. Not because there weren't many young girls around, and by process of elimination, she must be, but because of the way she looked. She had her fathers bright red hair but it was frizzy and sticking up everywhere, and her mother's green eyes. Her hair was, to Connor's surprise, chopped off just below her chin. He had never seen a woman with such short hair before.

But before he could fully question that in his mind, he realized why he had never seen her. Ranulf's clothing consisted of brown trousers, brown working boots, a dark green shirt, and a jacket, which Connor couldn't tell _what _color it used to be. All of her clothes were covered in grass stains, dirt, and who knew what else. Even her face and hair were dirty She blended into the woods easily.

"Ranulf?"

She nodded, "One and only. Ah'm guessin yer Connor?"

"Your mother wanted me to tell you to bring mushrooms home."

She nodded again, her red hair flailing to and fro from the sudden motion. "If yer headin back, tell her Ah can bring home a hand full or so. But not much, cause Ah only brought mah game bag, and it's full as it is. No room fer mushrooms."

"I will." Connor turned to leave.

"A word of advice, considerin yer a wanted fugitive, ya might want to wear somethin that isn't brighter than the sun." She said. There was no sarcasm or judgment in her tone at all, Connor could only sense genuine concern. "Ah know how much ya help mah family, and Ah'd hate ta see ya get caught. Ah know it's a bit late fer this, but thank ya fer saving mah dad's life."

Connor gave her a nod, "I wear this because it is tradition."

"Tradition will get ya killed then. But Ah suppose that upholdin a certain colored cloth is more important than yer cause, yer life, or the lives of yer comrades."

There was no swaying this girl. He saw what Diana meant now, she was defiantly her father's girl. Blunt, to the point, and came across as if she thought her way was the only way.

"It hasn't gotten me killed yet." Connor said, hoping to end the debate.

"Ah've seen ya sneaking around here, wearing those capes o' yers. Ah could have shot ya dead. Yer lucky mah brothers talk to much, told me about ya. Ah though ya were a banshee, was gonna shoot ya before Ah could hear ya scream."

Connor paused, "What is a banshee?"

Ranulf laughed, "Never mind."

She stood up on the branch, "Ah've got things to do, see ya around Connor."

Connor watched, mildly shocked, as she jumped from her tree branch to another, then another, until she was gone. Where had she learned that?

He shook his head, to much like Terry. To stubborn.


	2. Poachers

The second time Connor sees her is a few weeks later. Winter had passed, but Connor had never seen Ranulf around the cabin. Mostly because he never went to look for her.

But he now had a problem with poachers in his woods, especially after that woman got shot. And as much as he'd like to claim her knew those woods better than anybody, Ranulf had that title on her belt. If she spent every second of daylight in them, she had probably seen things he had missed.

It was a bit ironic. Now that he knew what to look for, he could find her easily. Unlike any other person he had tracked before, Ranulf didn't leave any clues. She moved through these woods as if every inch of them, every thing was branded into her mind. The only way he could be sure that she was there, was when there were absolutely no signs she was there.

Ranulf loved making fake trails in the woods to throw Connor off. He now knew, no matter how many footprints of hers were at the river, she wasn't there, or anywhere near there any more. She was probably in a place where she could watch him hunt around for her, and amuse herself. If she was this bored she might want to just stop going off into the woods everyday like a hermit.

His eyes scanned the surrounding area for a place she might watch from, and saw the tree branch, tangling just slightly over the river. Perched on it was Ranulf. He crossed his arms, glaring at her from his side of the river to show he wasn't exactly _happy_.

She offered him only a shrug, stood up on branch, and then did a little bounce. She fell, but as she did she hooked her knees around the branch, and swung off. She grabbed another, swinging from low branches until she was on the ground. Then she jumped across the river from rock to log, to the bank. Connor towered over her, and it was only then that he notices how small she was. Terry was only a few inches shorter than Connor, but the top of her head didn't even reach his shoulders. It came short by about two inches.

She looked up at him with her green eyes, one eyebrow raised, "Did ya want somethin Connor?"

"I have heard that poachers have been visiting these woods."

She let out a little hmmf. "More than visitin, Ah've seen 'em nab small game, at first. When Ah started payin attention, Ah saw 'em takin even bigger ones. Deer, elk, and by my count, three bears. They try to stay away from the bears though, Ah don't think they're used to 'em. Never go over the mountain into the wolf area either. They must not be used to so many predators."

"Or perhaps they simply do not want to be killed?" Connor suggested.

"Well, if that's the reason, they have no sense of risk and reward. Even I go into the wolf area ever now and then, the pelts from a couple wolves are worth more than ya could ever get if ya spent all day settin traps fer rabbits."

Connor couldn't image that Diana knew about this, she was shaky enough about having her daughter out here in the first place. But hunting wolves? Diana would never settle for that. "I take it your mother it unaware of that, and I also assume that you've been doing bear hunting as well." He had noticed several dead bear remains in the area, much more than the three the poachers had taken. He had just assumed other hunters, not this girl.

She shrugged, "Ah get good money from it, and Ah don't _keep _the money. What doesn't go to my family goes the other people in town who are having a rough start. They're very appreciative. So, are ya gonna squeal on me?"

Connor sighed, "All I will say on this matter is that if your mother discovers your mauled body, she will never recover, mentally or emotionally."

"That's why Ah get in a tree and shoot 'em from there." She said, gesturing to her bow.

It was smaller and thinner than Connors, but while his is a traditional long bow, hers is much different. Ranulf's has deep curves in the wood, and two strings coming down while his only has one. He's never seen a bow like that.

"Do you know where the poachers are now?" He asked. It was none of his business if she wanted to risk her life and break her mothers heart. Other than the fact her parents were dear friends of his.

She nodded, "They made a small camp not far from here. One keg of gunpowder and a bullet will take care of 'em."

Connor crossed his arms, "And you have one?"

"Figured you did." She explained. "There are other ways… follow me."

She led him halfway up the mountain, and pointed down towards the small camp, "We wait till nightfall, and they'll be sittin ducks."

She sat down crossed legged on the edge of the cliff, and Connor hesitantly sat down next to her, "Will your parents worry where you are?"

She shook her head, "Ah've been out here for three days at a time before, they've learned not to worry."

He nodded, "Why do you stay out here?"

"Family needs food, Dad is off logging to make a living. Whose to provide?"

"But so much time…"

She shrugged, "People just… aren't really my cup o' tea. Ah don't understand them."

She looked off towards a nearby bush, and made a soft purring sound. Before he could question why she did it, a small brown rabbit creeped forward out of the bush. It stopped about five feet short of where they sat, and Connor expected it to run, but Ranulf made the noise again, and the little rabbit bounded forward, hopping into Ranulf's lap. "Animals are easier. You spare their life, feed them, and they'll love you forever."

Connor nodded, understanding the concept. "You do not kill rabbits?"

"Not this one." She said, petting the bunny softly, "His name is Valentine. Ah saved him from a fox a few weeks back, patched up his gashes, and hand fed him fer two days, before lettin him loose. Saw him again, and he came right up to me, lookin' fer a hand out."

She reached into her game bag, and pulled out a mushroom, giving it to the rabbit, and it bounded off. "People are much harder. No matter how long yer friends with someone, ya never really know 'em. Maybe you know how far you'd go fer them, but ya don't know how far they'd go fer you. Ya can never fully trust anybody."

He watched the sun slowly set in the sky, "You clearly have a very low opinion of people."

She snorted, "Guess Ah do, but no one's ever proved me wrong."

They let the next few hours pass by in silence, until they saw the men start to return to the camp. Ranulf stood up to her full height, readying her bow, "Ah've been trailing these guys fer a few days, there's eight of 'em. Can ya get a clear shot at 'em from here?"

She's been trailing them for days… and never thought to mention them to him? She seemed to read his mind, because she shrugged, "Ah was planning to take them down myself tomorrow night. Guess now's as good a time as ever. Can you get a clear shot?"

Connor held up his bow, judging the distance, and shook his head, "I cannot possibly shoot from here, we should get a closer position-"

She took out two arrows, and placed one on each string, "Ferget it, Ah can get them from here. If they run to far, yer gonna have ta chase 'em though."

He watched in shock as she pulled back on both strings, aiming both arrows at the same time. "Ah think… Ah can get five. At least. Get ready to run fer the others."

He nodded, putting his bow away and getting ready to bolt down the cliff. He saw her take a small breath, and then let it out. She pointed her bow towards the only two men not gathered around the evening fire, they were closer to the edge of the camp, smoking.

She released her stings, and didn't even wait to see if she hit the men. She immediately reloaded, and shot two arrows again, and then again. Six men fell to the ground, and two others sprang up and ran. She loaded her bow again, and the arrows sailed, but only one hit it's mark. The other arrow fell short, only hitting the man in his leg. The injury didn't stop the man as he took off running.

Connor bolted after him, jumping from the cliff into nearby tree branches. He followed him using the fresh blood trail, finding him cowering beneath a bush. Connor yanked him up by the front of his jacket, "Shooting strangers in the woods, is that what you do for fun!?"

"Ah!"

"If I ever see another poacher in these woods again, they will not live long." Connor threatens, then drops the man. "Make sure you tell any others there are, enter these woods and hunt without permission, you die. Now go."

Connor heads back to their camp to dispose of their bodies, and sees Ranulf already there, looting bodies. "They've got a lot of money on 'em, Ah suppose from stealing all the game." she pointed behind her, to a body she had propped up near the fire. "That one's not quite dead yet, if ya wanted to question 'im."

Connor stared at the shaking man, "I already dealt with his comrade, I have no need of him."

She nodded, not looking up from the man's wallet, "Best finish 'im off then. Unless ya just wanna leave 'im 'ere."

"I am not that cruel." Connor said blankly, before slitting the man's throat. He saw Ranulf's shoulders flinch a little, she was not used to killing humans. It was likely very upsetting to her. "Can you get home okay?"

She snorted, standing up, and stared away from the dead bodies, into the woods. "Who do ya think' yer talkin' to Connor? My little brothers?"

"I was merely concerned with how you will be affected by this. You are still a young girl, and I would feel greatly at fault should you be emotionally affected by this."

Her face softened, "Sorry fer snapping at ya, but honestly Connor, Ah'll be fine. They needed to die fer what they did to that woman." When Connor crossed his arms, she shrugged, "Ah saw it 'appen. But look, Ah'll go home, sleep, get up tomorrow, and Ah'll be fine."

Connor nodded, "Good."

They parted ways again, and once Connor got home and the woman was seen to, Achilles was immediately questioning him, "Did you find Ranulf?"

Connor nodded, "Yes, she was most helpful."

Achilles nodded, "I've heard her father bragging about her skill to Godfrey, was it an exaggeration?"

Connor remembered how Ranulf's aim had been accurate nearly ten out of ten. "If anything, it was most likely an understatement."


End file.
